(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for automatically processing multiple used oil filters used for internal combustion engines for disposal, in particular for disposal in which essentially all of the residual oil is removed making the crushed canister and internal element a non-hazardous material and making the connector base plate available for recycling as scrap steel.
(2) Description of Related Art
Many state governments have classified used automotive and truck oil filters with substantial amounts of retained oil as a hazardous waste material causing a high disposal cost. A number of states have statutes that provide for special hazardous waste sites for landfill of these materials with substantial charges for their use. There is also a potential generator liability where filters have been disposed of without removing essentially all the retained oil.
Methods have been devised for removing residual oil from used filters and for removing the base plate. However, the more common method in general use for removing the oil involves crushing the filter axially with the base plate intact. Most filters are constructed with a check valve in conjunction with the base plate preventing free flow of oil out of the filter assembly during axial crushing thus leaving a substantial amount of oil. The methods devised for removing the base plate lack the simplicity and/or ruggedness needed for an economical automatic system.
The ideal location for processing used oil filters is at the service facility that removes the filter from the vehicle, in particular if the filter can be processed while it is still warm. Service facilities normally deal with more than one size of filter. This multiple size processing requirement coupled with the numerous small business locations require an economical rugged system with adaptive size processing capability.
Automatic operation is needed for uniformity of processing and for labor savings. Automatic operation also facilitates the processing of warm filters as they are removed from the vehicle, as minimal operator input is required to initiate the process.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,906 provides for shearing off the base plate and then crushing the canister and filter element normal to the filter axis. The mechanism as claimed in '906 is not suitable for adapting to automatic operation, particularly where it is desired for the processed filter components to have a minimum amount of residual oil or where it is desired to separate the base plate from the canister and filter element. '906 deposits the sheared connector plate and crushed canister assembly into a common receptacle where oil from subsequent cycles will drain onto previously processed filter components. It has been found that when severing filter connector plates, small pieces of the internal construction of filters are generated and it is believed that-shearing plate 43 in '906 will generate shaving like pieces which will collect and fill shear plate receiving slot 58 requiring on going maintenance and thus limit the utility of apparatus described.